Cape Residents Back Proposed Wind Projects

Published: March 26, 2006

CAPE VINCENT RESIDENTS BACK PROPOSED WIND PROJECTS

By Kate DeForest Times Staff Writer

CAPE VINCENT -- Cape Vincent residents overwhelmingly supported the development of wind power facilities in the area at a town meeting Saturday that drew about 250 people to the fire hall.

About 80 percent of the people at the meeting indicated they support the development of wind farms in the area, with a handful opposing the projects.

However, most remained divided over how to regulate the facilities.

The town has been wrestling with developing new zoning regulations in response to 400-foot turbines expected to be installed by two companies - Wind Power New York, Rochester, and Greenlight Energy Inc., Charlottesville, Va. - in two separate developments, one inland and one near the St. Lawrence River.

The companies already have been approaching area landowners with developmental lease agreements in anticipation of constructing 110 to 135 two-megawatt turbines: Wind Power New York is seeking to install 60 turbines between the shoreline and Route 4, and Greenlight Energy proposes to build 50 to 75 turbines south of Route 4, from Route 12E to Route 9.

Saturday's meeting, moderated by Richard L. Halpin, executive director of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County, was held primarily to provide residents with more information on the projects and solicit feedback on various zoning proposals, including the contentious issue of setback distances.

Residents were divided over how far the power-generating turbines should be set back from the shoreline, citing multiple concerns from the aesthetic effect of the turbines on the landscape to the disruption of local wildlife and migratory birds.

The most recent draft of the proposed wind farm zoning law includes setback regulations of:

* One and a half times the height of the tower, including the radius of the blade, from the exterior property lines, or a minimum of 500 feet.

* A minimum of 10 feet from an interior property line when the wind farm consists of multiple parcels, 1,000 feet from existing homes not on a parcel that is part of the wind farm and 750 feet from existing homes that are part of the wind farm.

It does not include setback regulations from the shoreline, which town officials have held off on determining until they could better gauge residents' responses to the turbines' placement.

There seemed to be no consensus reached on an ideal shoreline setback among those attending Saturday's meeting. Town officials stressed that they have to have something in place before the wind power companies advance the projects much further.

"We need some real help with this law," town Planning Board Chairman Richard J. Edsall said. "If we don't pass a law one way or another, they're still coming. People have already signed contracts."

"If we don't have our laws in place, if there's no zoning against them, they can put them anywhere they want," town Deputy Supervisor Joseph H. Wood said.

While some favored setbacks of more than a mile from the shoreline, which would likely nullify the Wind Power New York project, putting it out of range of the most propitious wind patterns, others said setbacks of 1,500 to 1,900 feet from the shoreline would be adequate.

"My only concern is that if they have setbacks of more than 1,500 feet, it'll defeat the purpose of the project," said Paul C. Mason, a Cape Vincent landowner and dairy farmer.

Mr. Mason, whose property on Route 12E abuts the waterfront, said he has been approached by one of the wind farm companies and intends to sign with it.

Another property owner, Hester M. Chase, who lives in the area proposed for inland wind farm development, said zoning is a minor issue compared with handing control of the area's potential wind power development over to corporations instead of keeping it under the auspices of the municipality.

"If we were doing this as a municipality, we would have more control, and then we could take care of the zoning," Ms. Chase said. "Should we be talking about zoning? Should we be fighting it out? Yeah, we should, but I feel we could make everyone happy if we were doing it ourselves."

Town officials hope to hold a public hearing on the proposed zoning laws May 4, bringing them to a vote at the Town Council meeting June 8. Town officials do not plan to bring the laws to a public referendum.

"It's a Planning Board and Town Council decision," Mr. Wood said.

Meanwhile, town officials said they'll continue to solicit feedback from town residents, in person and in writing.

CAPE VINCENT TURBINE PLAN STIRS WORRIES

The results of the Cape Vincent Wind turbine survey of 2005 are at the end of this Watertown Times article.March 24, 2006 CAPE VINCENT TURBINE PLAN STIRS WORRIES
Author: Jude Seymour
Times Staff Writer
Edition: Both Section:
Jefferson Page: D8 Dateline:

Estimated printed pages: 3 Article Text: Although not one wind turbine has started spinning, energy is already being generated and expended by the town's concerned citizens, who say proposed setbacks for towers aren't stringent enough.

Between 25 and 50 Cape Vincent residents have been approached by two competing green energy companies - Wind Power New York of Rochester and Greenlight Energy Inc. of Charlottesville, Va. - about buying rights to develop land for 2-megawatt turbines both inland and near the riverfront.

In response to these solicitations, the town began drafting zoning regulations, including setback requirements, that would control where the 400-foot towers could be built.

"Right now, the way we had it up is 1,500 feet from the center line of Route 12E, plus one and a half times the tower height, which is going to put a little over 600 feet on top of that," said Town Council member Marty T. Mason. Joseph H. Wood, the town's deputy supervisor, said the town will also consider a setback of 2,500 feet from the Route 12E centerline, which was favored by the majority of respondents to a survey issued by the town last fall.

But even this proposal isn't restrictive enough for the Concerned Riverview Citizens, co-chairman David Docteur said.

In a letter issued by the group, organizers wrote that "a minimum of two miles from New York State Route 12E is our suggested setback for any wind turbine towers." If enacted, that would limit construction to areas south of Favret Road.

In a prepared statement, Mr. Docteur also asked the town to provide a "full disclosure on the wind farm plan to the community at large."
The composition of the Concerned Riverview Citizens, including the size of their membership, is unknown because Mr. Docteur refused further comment.

Town officials will solicit input on the regulations from their constituency during an information session at noon Saturday at the Cape Vincent fire hall, 241 E. Broadway St.

Despite the newly formed group's recent prominence, Town Council members still believe residents overwhelmingly support wind turbine development in Cape Vincent.
"I think they're in favor of them," Mr. Mason said. "I think what they want is a proper setback from the water."

Michael J. Docteur, now a county legislator whose district includes Cape Vincent, was a town councilman when the issue was first addressed publicly last August.

At that time, there was a large portion that showed up that were in favor of wind farms," said Mr. Docteur, nephew of David Docteur.

The county legislator said he won't try to influence zoning regulations now that he's left the Town Council. But he plans to work with the town to secure payments from the energy companies in lieu of property taxes.

"We want to make sure the constituents of Cape Vincent, both the school district and town, receive as much of the needed revenue as possible," Mr. Docteur said.

Assemblyman Darrel J. Aubertine, D-Cape Vincent, said real opportunities exist in his hometown for all types of alternative energy production.

In a time when smaller farms are phasing out dairy production and moving toward mulch hay and other types of livestock, producing alternative energy sources - like soy, corn and biomass - could keep local agriculture vibrant, he said.

"I understand there's concerns. And the concerns need to be recognized as well. But we need to take a look at the opportunity," Mr. Aubertine said.

Memo: Wind turbine survey Last fall, the town of Cape Vincent sent out 1,900 surveys asking residents for input on wind turbine developments; 612 were returned.
Wind Turbine Survey results
Responses are as follows:

Are you in favor of wind turbines in the town of Cape Vincent?

Yes: 80.2 percent

No: 19.7 percent

If in favor, in what districts should they be allowed?

Agricultural/residential: 92.2 percent

Lakefront:40.3 percent

Riverfront: 30.3 percent

What setbacks would you recommend from the shore of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River?
Less than 1,500 feet: 5.1 percent

1,500 feet: 23.8 percent

2,000 feet: 13.7 percent

2,500 feet: 36.4 percent


More than 2,500 feet: 20.8 percent

Cape Vincent History ~ "Secret Meeting"

Art Pundt sent me this detailed time line of events, thanks Art!

March 1, 2006:

Meeting of Planning and Town Board officials to discuss amending the zoning law in order to guide wind power development. The meeting was lead by PBC Edsall in the Town Supervisor’s office. There was a quorum of Town Board members (e.g., Rienbeck, Mason, and Schneider [perhaps Orvis, too). Also, Michael Bourcy, Jefferson County Planning Department, attended providing maps and advice on the review of setback options. Others in attendance included landowners with lease agreements. Since the meeting was never publicized, there was no general public attendance. Also, there was no public notice, the meetings where held in Town offices, no minutes where taken. Edsall has been heard by several witnesses in a TB meeting as even calling these “secret” meetings. One invited attendee from the community became uncomfortable with this process and wrote an official letter submitted to the Town Board of his concerns. We have other witnesses who inadvertently walked in on these meetings. One individual gave a deposition to a previous WPEG attorney about observations at these meetings.